Blog #91 Kidney Health
Recently, two friends and
I had a conversation regarding kidney health.
Standard medical assessment has indicated that all three of us are in
kidney failure. All three of us have
varying contributing factors to the diagnosis.
One person has a history of hypertension, which can damage the
kidneys. Additionally, several kidney
stones have the harmed the kidneys. A
third factor is this person’s very sensitive nature, which can result in much
stress on the body, including the urinary tract. A second person has similar and different
factors involved. Several medications and supplements likely are stressing the
kidneys. Aging also is having an
effect. This person’s sensitive nature coupled with an unwanted and
unexpected career shift is yet a third factor.
In my case, I appear to have been
born with weak kidneys. Repeated
urinalyses since I was six years old indicated the presence of protein and
glucose in the urine. This means that
since that early age, my kidneys were doing a poor job of handling protein and
glucose. The pediatrician’s other
diagnostic tests did not reveal any structural abnormalities. He said to my
parents: “We can’t find anything wrong at this time, but she might have
problems with her kidneys when she gets older.”
He did not offer any nutritional advice, such as reducing protein
intake, especially animal protein, or reducing sugar intake, especially
processed sugars. Both protein and sugar
can stress the kidneys, as can high dietary
intake of potassium, sodium, phosphorous, and more, depending on the
cause of the disease and the stage of kidney failure. So in my case, a combination of either very early
urinary tract infections or constitutional kidney weakness, along with aging,
stress, and inappropriate nutrition (I had begun eating more protein when I had
begun some weight training) were likely the main factors.
Other contributors in
kidney malfunction are poor diet – fast, junk and processed foods, foods high
in sodium, potassium, phosphorous, sugar and/or protein. Diabetes, sedentary lifestyle, obesity,
chronic dehydration, excessive fluid intake, and too infrequent urination can
also be important causes. A blow or
other injury to the low back can also result in organ failure.
The kidneys are located in
the low back, on either side of the spine.
These endocrine glands constantly work to help with detoxification,
proper mineral balance, maintaining strong bones and proper water balance, pH
balance, blood pressure regulation, and more.
They help support the body’s energy level as well as help in the
extraction of certain vitamins and minerals from food. Kidneys help in the extraction of usable
Vitamin D from food and sunlight, and at the same time can be harmed by too
much supplemental Vitamin D. People in
severe kidney failure may live up to several years receiving dialysis, which performs
at least some of the kidney’s vital tasks.
Other people may receive a donated kidney. If they tolerate the strong anti-rejection
medications, they may survive for quite a few years.
Treatment can vary
greatly, depending on the severity of the problem, the health of the person
involved, and the cause of the kidney damage. Some basic approaches are below:
Limit protein intake, particularly
animal protein and protein powders. Make
sure the protein you do eat is high quality.
Some examples of high quality protein are wild-caught salmon or
sardines, eggs from organically raised or biodynamically raised ducks or
chickens, a mix of organically or biodynamically raised beans, legumes and/or
grains, such as lentils and whole oats, a green salad with several other
vegetables such as cabbage and radish, and pumpkin and squash seeds.
Eliminate processed sugars
from the diet. Fresh fruit in moderation
is acceptable, but sugar (glucose sucrose and fructose) puts stress on the
kidneys, as does uric acid, derived from various foods, such as red meat, rich
and fried foods, and some sea foods.
Additionally, fruit high in fructose, such as dried fruit, juice,
pomegranates, melon apple, cherries, pineapple and mango give rise to purines
when broken down, which in turn, can result in high uric acid levels, which can
stress and harm the kidneys.
Eliminate all added salt
from the diet and keep sodium intake otherwise low. High sodium stresses the kidneys and also
gives rise to high blood pressure, which can further damage the already
delicate blood vessels in the glomeruli – the filtering units of the kidneys.
Eliminate certain
nutritional supplements from the diet, especially those containing potassium
and large quantities of vitamin D. These
can be hard on the kidneys.
Avoiding alcohol,
nicotine, and recreational drugs will take a load off your kidneys. Castor oil packs are sometimes used to
detoxify the body and protect the liver, which is vulnerable when the kidneys
are not functioning well.
Avoid foods that contain
large quantities of phosphorous. Dairy
products red meat, sea foods, dark sodas, beans and nuts are all high in this
mineral. Not only does it stress the
kidneys, but when the kidneys are unable to filter enough phosphorous from
food, this mineral goes back into the blood and the resulting imbalance will
result in calcium being pulled from the bones to balance out the extra
phosphorous. This, in turn, can lead to
weakened bones and osteoporosis.
Keep fat consumption low,
and avoid trans fats, such as margarines, corn oil and soy oils,
completely. Some saturated,
monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are necessary for continued health,
and long term survival.
Do not overeat, but stop
when still a little hungry. Excessive
nutrients from food will also stress the kidneys, since they will need to work more
to deal with the excess. As long as
there is a natural appetite, it is bet to wait to eat until hunger is noted. Relax, eat slowly, and chew food well.
Find out what foods, if
any, you are allergic and/or sensitive to, and avoid these. Examples could be gluten, soy, or dairy.
Some specific supplements can sometimes help slow the
progress of kidney damage and disease.
On the other hand, too many supplements will often over-tax the kidneys,
so be careful regarding nutritional supplements. Some herbs, including licorice, cats-claw and
wormwood are particularly hard on the kidneys.
Some symptoms may be hypertension, fatigue and body aches. Nettles, on the other hand are almost always
beneficial, as is fresh-squeezed lemon juice in water first thing in the
morning and possibly throughout the day. High quality turmeric herb can be
helpful for kidney health. A high
quality pine bark extract can also be helpful for the kidneys. I personally use two products from Standard
Process – Arginex and Renafood. However,
depending on the severity of your kidney dysfunction, these two could possibly
cause problems for you, so I urge you to work with a health care practitioner
who has specific knowledge about kidney health and kidney disease. A diet or supplements to prevent or
counteract kidney stones is vital when stones are a major causative
factor. Individual with high risk for
kidney stones may benefit from reducing or eliminating spinach, rhubarb, okra,
beets, nut butters, fries, and potato chips from the diet. Daily apple cider vinegar or lemon juice in
water, frequent consumption of basal and regular consumption of real sauerkraut
all may be helpful in preventing kidney stones, as will losing weight, if
needed, and sufficient hydration, with water.
This blog’s offer: feel free to contact me regarding anything in
this article about which you have questions.
